Johnny Manziel continues to dazzle in loss to Alabama; more Overtime

In Manziel's world, however, Pagan and the other Crimson Tide pass rushers don't even seem to be on the field. A&M's star effortlessly darts around them

Stewart Mandel | Sep 15, 2013

Johnny Manziel continues to dazzle in loss to Alabama; more Overtime /

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel accounted for 562 yards of total offense in a loss to Alabama :: John W. McDonough/SI

In Manziel's world, however, Pagan and the other Crimson Tide pass rushers don't even seem to be on the field. A&M's star effortlessly darts around them without ever taking his eyes off his receivers. On TV, Manziel's wild scrambles come off like something from a video game. He is an image on a screen. At field level, though, he is a real, live person, with body control unlike any I've ever seen from a quarterback. In turn, he extends plays like nobody else in the game. It's incredible that any player can buy three to five extra seconds against the sport's most talented defense.

Quarterack Bo Wallace (14) and the Rebels outscored Texas 27-0 in the second half of Saturday's win. — Quarterack Bo Wallace (14) and the Rebels outscored Texas 27-0 in the second half of Saturday's win :: Michael Thomas/AP

UCLA's Brett Hundley passed for 294 yards and three touchdowns in a comeback victory over Nebraska. — UCLA's Brett Hundley passed for 294 yards and three touchdowns in a comeback victory over Nebraska :: Nati Harnik/AP

UCF's Blake Bortles, who ranks fifth nationally in passing efficiency, has led the Knights to a 3-0 start. — UCF's Blake Bortles, who ranks fifth nationally in passing efficiency, has led the Knights to a 3-0 start :: Gene Puskar/AP

• Auburn at LSU, Saturday (7:45 p.m. ET): There have been some intensely close matchups in this series over the last decade. Even last year's dreadful Auburn team fell just 12-10. Strong-armed LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger will look to continue his scorching start thus far (nine touchdowns, no interceptions).

Published Sep 15, 2013

STEWART MANDEL

Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel first caught the college football bug as a sophomore at Northwestern University in 1995. "The thrill of that '95 Rose Bowl season energized the entire campus, and I quickly became aware of how the national media covered that story," he says. "I knew right then that I wanted to be one of those people, covering those types of stories." Mandel joined SI.com (formerly CNNSI.com) in 1999. A senior writer for the website, his coverage areas include the national college football beat and college basketball. He also contributes features to Sports Illustrated. "College football is my favorite sport to cover," says Mandel. "The stakes are so high week in and week out, and the level of emotion it elicits from both the fans and the participants is unrivaled." Mandel's most popular features on SI.com include his College Football Mailbag and College Football Overtime. He has covered 14 BCS national championship games and eight Final Fours. Mandel's first book, Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy That Reign Over College Football, was published in 2007. In 2008 he took first place (enterprise category) and second place (game story) in the Football Writers Association of America's annual writing contest. He also placed first in the 2005 contest (columns). Mandel says covering George Mason's run to the Final Four was the most enjoyable story of his SI tenure. "It was thrilling to be courtside for the historic Elite Eight upset of UConn," Mandel says. "Being inside the locker room and around the team during that time allowed me to get to know the coaches and players behind that captivating story." Before SI.com Mandel worked at ESPN the Magazine, ABC Sports Online and The Cincinnati Enquirer. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with a B.S. in journalism. A Cincinnati native, Mandel and his wife, Emily, live in Santa Clara, Calif.